Memories of the Past
by WhatTheCensoredXD
Summary: Bucky remembers memories of his little girl on her wedding day.
**I just wanted to do a one-shot on Bucky and give him some happiness/fluff in his life because he has suffered so much. Enjoy!**

* * *

Bucky fixed the cufflinks to secure the ends of his blue sleeves, although it was the fifth time he had done so in the past twenty minutes. He stared at his reflection on the full-length mirror and quietly sighed. Everything about him was fine—from his smooth charcoal gray suit to his newly trimmed haircut that was perfectly styled for this special day.

His daughter's wedding day.

Bucky did not see his daughter, Amelia, for most of the morning. Instead the bride insisted her father to wait until she was fully ready. Of course Bucky respected her wish, how could he say no to his little princess?

A soft smile appeared on his lips as he recalled a memory.

* * *

 _A low light illuminated inside Amelia's bedroom and the little four-year-old girl happily giggled at her bed. Her tiny hands clutched the violet blanket as she eagerly listened to her father read 'Green Eggs and Ham' for her bedtime story._

" _They are so good, so good, you see!" Bucky exclaimed as his blue eyes widen with fascination. He sat beside Amelia's bed and held the Dr. Seuss book in his right hand while constantly glancing at his daughter's smile. It made him grin harder and he enthusiastically continue reading the book. "So I will eat them in a box. And I will eat them with a fox. And I will eat them in a house. And I will eat them with a mouse. And I will eat them here and there. Say! I will eat them anywhere—"_

" _I do like green eggs and ham!" Amelia's sweet voice echoed alongside Bucky's deep tone and the together they finished the story. "I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-Am."_

 _Amelia clapped as Bucky closed the book and placed it on her bedside table. The little girl turned to the super soldier. "Can we make green eggs and ham, daddy?"_

" _I don't know, princess…"_

" _Please!" She begged as she gave him her best puppy face. Bucky made the mistake to look directly at her eyes, bright blue like his, and he knew he could not say no to her. His wife often joked that the only time he would say no would be when she starts dating. Deep down Bucky dreaded the moment when Amelia would bring home a boy. It meant she was growing up, however that was the future—there was still time for Bucky to enjoy his days with Amelia, his little girl who greeted him with open arms and searched for him whenever she got scared of a loud thunderstorm._

" _Okay," Bucky agreed as he kissed her forehead. "We can make some on Saturday with your brothers."_

" _Thank you, daddy!"_

* * *

Bucky chuckled at the memory and moved away from the mirror. Someone knocked the door and Bucky turned around to see his elder son, Steve, enter the room.

"Hey, dad," Steve greeted him with a quick hug. The man was the spitting image of Bucky, except for his eyes—they were chestnut brown like his mother. Steve gave his father a small black box. "Mom said you forgot to take this with you."

"Of course I did," Bucky rolled his eyes, she knew him too well. He opened the box and inside was a blue pocket-handkerchief. His fingers glided slowly over the silky fabric and Steve crossed his arms.

"You know, the color really reminds me of her Columbia graduation gown."

"It actually does," Bucky agreed, remembering that spectacular day as if it were yesterday.

* * *

 _The sky was cleared and the sun shined brightly, making it a perfect background for Columbia University's Class of 2038 Commencement Day. Bucky sat on one of the chairs settled on the Butler Lawn beside his wife, Lillian, and his two sons, Steve and William. Just like the other families sitting around him, Bucky was here to celebrate his daughter's graduation from Columbia University and the man took in every single detail of the large campus._

 _Huge blue banners hung from the sides of multiple buildings, each embroidered with the university's crown in white. In front of him, he saw red balloon hammers move up and down, dark blue balloons shaped into the letter "B" swung around, and tiny flags waved among the enormous crowd. The various speakers blasted Frank Sinatra's classic song 'New York, New York', causing the blue sea of graduates to sway. Although Bucky could not spot Amelia in the large crowd, he knew she was laughing with her friends while dancing to the music. He gazed at the television screen that randomly zoomed at different graduates and televised their enthusiastic reactions._

" _There's Amelia!" William shouted as he took a picture with his camera. Everyone shifted their eyes to the screen and immediately saw the twenty-two year old graduate waving with her left hand. Amelia's right arm hugged around one of her friends who displayed a peace sign with her fingers. Bucky's smile widen as he proudly stared at his little girl in her blue graduation gown. Lillian squeezed Bucky's right hand and waved back at Amelia's direction._

 _After the ceremony ended, the family miraculously found Amelia in the crowd. She was talking to someone and quickly hugged her before walking toward her family's direction. Amelia practically jumped into her father's open arms and the super solider spun the graduate around, the two laughing loudly. Bucky put his little girl down and slightly pulled away so he can fully see her face._

" _Congratulations, baby girl! We're so proud of you," Bucky beamed as his pushed some of her brown hair strands behind her ear with his robotic fingers._

" _Thanks, daddy! Couldn't have done it without you and mom," Amelia giggled as she fixed her blue cap and grabbed the bouquet of flowers from Lillian. William soon gestured his dad and Amelia to get closer so he could take a picture. Bucky slid his left arm behind Amelia's gown and tightly hugged his daughter, quickly giving her kiss on the temple._

" _Okay, on the count of three!" William instructed as he lifted the Canon camera. "One, two, three: smile!"_

* * *

Bucky neatly organized his pocket-handkerchief and fixed his collar once more. The man glanced at the clock in the room and noticed that the ceremony will start in fifteen minutes. Another knock was heard and Steve opened the door to see his pregnant wife Victoria and three-year-old son Ethan.

"Hi, sweetheart," Victoria smiled as she kissed his cheek before waving at Bucky. "Hello, James!"

"Grandpa!" Ethan screamed as he let go of his mother's hand. Bucky kneeled on one leg and his grandson crashed into the soldier's chest. The little boy energetically bounced and grinned. "Auntie Mia says she's almost ready!"

"That's great to hear!" Bucky chuckled as he clapped the boy's shoulder. The elder Barnes stood back up and nodded toward Victoria. "Do you want to sit down?"

"No it's fine," Victoria waved at him her son walked back to the door. "We're going to leave anyway. Ethan here just wanted to share Mia's message for you."

"How does she look?"

Victoria smirked at the soldier. "So beautiful that you might bawl like a baby."

"Thanks for the heads up," Bucky laughed, although deep down he might just do that. Steve bid farewell to his dad before leading his family out of the room. Bucky noticed that Victoria's bump was finally showing and he remembered when Lillian went into labor with Amelia.

* * *

 _Sweat beads rolled down on Lillian's flushed face as she screamed in pain. She tightly gripped Bucky's left hand, the cool metal contrasted against her heated and sweaty palm. Bucky used a white cloth to wipe Lillian's forehead and he leaned closer to his wife._

" _You're doing great, doll," he praised and Lillian pulled her head back as she lets out another yell. "You're almost there."_

" _I can see the baby's head," the doctor stated as he stared at the married couple. "We need her to push harder, Mr. Barnes."_

" _I can't," Lillian huffed out loud. Even though she had experienced labor twice with her two sons, her third child decided to be difficult at the moment. The pregnant woman glared at Bucky and growled. "I hate you so much for this!"_

" _And I love you too," he responded and encouraged his wife to push harder. Lillian shut her eyes and used all her energy to force the baby out of her body. With a scream that probably could have shattered the hospital's windows, a loud wail echoed throughout the delivery room._

 _It was a baby's cry._

" _Congratulations, it's a baby girl," the doctor exclaimed as he lifted the girl to the parents' view. Bucky heart stopped as he saw the baby, his daughter, for the first time; as the nurses quickly cleaned the newborn, Bucky was busy kissing his wife and wiping her forehead. One of the nurses walked toward the married couple with their baby girl wrapped in a white flannel blanket with pink and blue stripes._

 _Although tired and sore, Lillian managed to reach for her child and cooed was she was settled in her arms. The mother whispered softly at her daughter. "Hi, sweetie. Oh it's okay. It's okay. Mommy's got you."_

 _Bucky remained quiet as he witnessed his wife holding his little girl. Lillian glanced at the super soldier and smiled at him._

" _Do you want to hold her?"_

 _Since he was lost for words at the moment, Bucky nodded as he held his arms out. Lillian carefully transferred the newborn to him and the father slowly pulled the small child closer to his chest. Once Bucky stared into his daughter's eyes, blue like his, he choked as tears ran down his face._

" _Hello, princess," he sniffed as he watched his daughter shift in his arms. Not even an hour had passed and already he was wrapped around her itty-bity finger. "It's me, daddy. You're so beautiful and perfect. Your mom and I have been waiting for months to meet you, and we both love you so very much."_

 _He bent down to kiss her tiny forehead. With his eyes still watery, he gave his daughter a tight smile. "I promise to protect you no matter what, princess. I will never let anyone hurt you and if they do, I promise to hunt them down even if it kills me. Your mom will love and protect you as well, and so will your older brothers. We all love you so very much."_

 _A nurse approached them with a clipboard. "Do you have a name for the baby?"_

 _Bucky turned his head at Lillian and she nodded. With his little girl in his arms, Bucky's fingers brushed the patch of dark brown hair on her head and said:_

" _Amelia Elizabeth Barnes."_

* * *

Bucky heavily breathed out as he rubbed his eyes. The memory seemed so fresh in his mind, but he needed to stay cool and collected. The man stared at the clock and realized that the ceremony started in ten minutes. Deciding it was time to meet his daughter, Bucky left the room and walked down the hallway.

Each step he took made his heart pound harder. There was a bridesmaid standing outside of the bride's suite and she smiled at him as if the young woman was expecting his presence. Opening the white door for him, she allowed him to enter inside the room and quietly closed the door.

Bucky was alone in the suite, although he heard the soft murmurs coming from the other room; then it became silent and Bucky raised an eyebrow. Soon the double doors opened and Bucky's heart stopped while his jawline clenched.

Slowly stepping out into the suite was his daughter, his _little girl_ , in her perfectly white bodice-wedding gown with her neckline and long sleeves modestly laced. Her wavy brown hair was half-up with just a few curls near her face. She wore a fingertip-length sheer veil—it did not cover her face at the moment—and held a cascade flower bouquet.

"Hi, daddy," Amelia softly smiled at her father and Bucky felt a tear run down his face realizing he was not prepared for this moment after all.

"Oh, princess c'mere," Bucky choked as he embraced Amelia in his arms. He heard his daughter sniff near his ear and he knew she was trying not to cry. Bucky slightly pulled away, but his hands held her shoulders as he grinned at his daughter. "You truly look beautiful, Amelia."

"Thank you, dad," she responded as she stared at her own dress. "Mom said I made the right choice picking the dress when we went shopping a couple of months ago."

"Her judgment is always right," Bucky agreed and his eyes began to water again. "I just can't believe you're getting married today, baby girl. I swear, it feels as though it was just yesterday I held you for the first time in my arms at the hospital when you were born."

Memories of him bonding with his little girl flooded his mind. He remembered ever single moment the father and daughter shared together—the times when he would feed her on the rocking chair and quietly sing her a song in Russian. The times when he made stupid faces just to hear her innocent baby laughter that was music to his ears. The times when he read bedtime stories for her and occasionally checked her room for 'monsters'.

He remembered the times where he interrogated the boys Amelia brought home, making it clear that if they hurt her, they will feel his wrath. He remembered when Amelia cried and hugged him once she found out she was accepted to Columbia University. He remembered that four years later, she graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science. He remembered the first time Amelia brought home Christian—her future soon-to-be husband—for Thanksgiving one year to meet the family. He remembered when his daughter revealed to everyone that the two were getting married, but Bucky knew this beforehand since Christian privately asked him for his blessing.

Bucky just could not believe how fast time flew by, yet here he stood in front of his grown daughter wearing her wedding dress.

"You've grown into a beautiful young woman," Bucky continued as he caressed her cheek with his right hand. "Your mother and I are so proud of who you've become and even though you are going to start a new chapter in your life, you will always my little girl and I will always love you."

"Damn it, dad," Amelia hugged the soldier tighter as she placed her head against his chest. "I love you too."

A couple of seconds later: "You just want to see my makeup be ruined don't you?"

"If it would stall some time for the wedding, maybe," he joked and Amelia playful slapped his chest, but the two shared another laugh. "Are you ready for me to walk you down the aisle?"

"Yes I am," she grinned and Bucky helped his daughter place the veil over her face. Bucky held out his right arm, but Amelia shook her head. "I want to walk with you with your other arm."

Again, how could he say no to his princess? Amelia's right arm linked with his left one and gave it a small squeeze. She carried her flower bouquet in her other hand before staring up at her father.

"I'm ready."

"Very well then," Bucky beamed at his daughter. "Let's get you married."

* * *

 **The end! I hope you all enjoyed the lovely story.**

 **Until next time** **…**

 _ **WhatTheCensoredXD**_


End file.
